Reading fires manager Brian McDermott

LONDON (AP) — Reading responded to a fourth successive loss by firing manager Brian McDermott on Monday in a late attempt to avoid relegation from the Premier League.

Clint Hughes

FILE - This is a Monday Feb. 18, 2013 file photo of the Reading's manager Brian McDermott during their English FA Cup fifth round soccer match against Manchester United at Old Trafford in Manchester, England. Reading fired manager Brian McDermott on Monday March 11, 2013 in an attempt to preserve the teamís Premier League status. A fourth successive loss on Saturday left Reading four points from safety and only off the bottom of the standings because it has scored more goals than Queens Park Rangers. (AP Photo/Clint Hughes, File)

FILE - This is a Monday Feb. 18, 2013 file photo of the Reading's manager Brian McDermott during their English FA Cup fifth round soccer match against Manchester United at Old Trafford in Manchester, England. Reading fired manager Brian McDermott on Monday March 11, 2013 in an attempt to preserve the teamís Premier League status. A fourth successive loss on Saturday left Reading four points from safety and only off the bottom of the standings because it has scored more goals than Queens Park Rangers. (AP Photo/Clint Hughes, File)

Aston Villa's Christian Benteke, 2nd right, scores his side's first goal of the game during their English Premier League match at the Madejski Stadium, Reading, England, Saturday March 9, 2013. (AP Photo/PA, Andrew Matthews) UNITED KINGDOM OUT NO SALES NO ARCHIVE

A 2-1 collapse at home to relegation rival Aston Villa on Saturday left Reading four points from safety with nine matches remaining.

Next from last in the standings, the Russian-owned team is only off the bottom because Queens Park Rangers has scored fewer goals.

"In our current situation, owner Anton Zingarevich felt that a (managerial) change was necessary," Reading said in a statement.

The 51-year-old McDermott had been in charge since 2009 and took the team into the topflight for the start of this season for only the second time in its 142-year history.

But the team is at risk of dropping out of the Premier League after only one season and missing out on sharing the wealth from a new TV deal worth about $8 billion across three years from August.

Reading, which is based west of London, is yet to replace McDermott, the winner of the Premier League manager of the month award in January.

"The search for a successor will start immediately, and it is hoped that a new manager will be in place as soon as possible to lead the fight against potential relegation," Reading said.

Bookmakers installed former Lazio and Juventus striker Paolo Di Canio, who left Swindon last month, as the favorite to succeed McDermott.

McDermott, a former Arsenal midfielder, has been part of the backroom staff at Reading since 2000. After taking temporary control of the team in December 2009 he was given the job on a full-time basis a month later.